Carrying on an annual townwide tradition, hundreds of Thanksgiving meals were served at the Living Hope Lighthouse Church, near the S.S. Palmer Elementary School in Palmerton.

Meals of turkey, ham, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans, corn and pumpkin pie were distributed to the Palmerton community.

Local business owners, including Chip Solt of Joey B’s, Chris Anthony of Country Harvest, and Sheila Reiss of Beer Zone, donated food and money to fund the community dinner. The Bo Tkach Foundation also donated money to help with the dinner, and the Palmerton Ambulance Association also got involved with donating.

Those in need of a complimentary meal had the choice of dining inside the church or picking up meals curbside. Volunteers from the Palmerton area make the event possible, including the Palmerton Area High School cheerleaders, and the girls wrestling team plan to help serve and deliver meals.

“I am happy to help volunteer my time to such a worthy cause,” said Palmerton Blue Bombers girls wrestling captain Lea Schaible.

“I plan to study culinary arts after I graduate high school, so this is especially important to me,” she said. “I also get to help teach some of the younger girls in our organization who will carry on the tradition.”

Fellow wrestling captain Cassidy Merkel agreed, saying that it’s great to give back to the community. “Holidays are a time of giving back, not getting,” she said.

Organizer Michael Balch also delivers meals to those who were unable to drive to the church, and praised the Palmerton youth for getting involved.

“I love the fact that these kids are getting involved,” Balch said. “They could literally be doing anything else with their time tonight, but they’re here volunteering. Go Bombers.”

Area residents, including Brian Wanamaker and Christine Murillo, were grateful for their meals.

“We are very thankful for these meals; it means a lot that they’re doing this,” said Murillo as she and her fellow attendees enjoyed their dinner.

Lifelong resident and Palmerton Mayor-elect Bo Rodriguez, also in volunteering his time, values the community aspect of the church dinner.

“It’s great to see everyone here giving back and the community coming together like this,” Rodriguez said.

To get involved with future events held by the Living Hope Lighthouse Church, visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/lhlchurch/.